Door catch



Patented Oct. 11, 1938 noon CATCH Alden E. Hammerbeck, Duluth, Minn., assignor of two-fifths to E. E.v Webber, Duluth, Minn.

Application May 22, 1937, Serial No. 144,225

3 Claims.

. This invention relates to door controlling means, the principal object being to provide a more simple and eflicient device of this character, and other novel features and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description thereof.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this application, and wherein like reference characters indicate like parts:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of the upper portion of a door to which the device is applied near the hinged edge of the door, it being in constant contact with the door.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the catch unit, only of the device. 7

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the catch applied to the frame of the door and a modified attachment upon the door intermittently engaged by the catch.

Figure 4.- is a perspective view of the arrangement shown in Figure 3 of the drawing when the door is closed and held by the catch.

The catch proper, as more clearly illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawing, comprises a housing I, made either of cast or sheet metal, as desired, having inwardly turned lips 2 thereupon adjacent one end. These lips are for the purpose of tightly holding a substantially flat sheet metal spring 3 at one end, the opposite end of which is in constant engagement with the flattened side 4 of the supporting cross member 5 of the swingable yoke 6 carrying upon its forward cross member the rubber or other like roller 1, and which action of the spring 3 against the flattened 35 portion 4 tends to hold the yoke and roller inwardly towards the body portion almost at right angles to the back of the housing.

When the catch is installed upon the frame of the door, as shown in Figure 3, the free end of the spring 3 will engage the bar 5 to one side of the flattened portion 4 and hold the yoke and roller substantially parallel with the back of the catch housing, as clearly'illustrated. In this installation a hook shaped flat metal clip, illustrated at 8, is installed upon the edge of the door 9 in such a manner that the outerwardly turned lip ID of the clip 8 will just clear the roller 1 in passing same when the door is closing, the roller 1 engaging the bracket portion H of the clip on the door.

If the door thus equipped is swungforwardly with the ordinary motion of a door closing, this engagement of the roller against the bracket portion of the clip will tend to swing it slightly inwardly of the clip, which will bring the flattened portion 4 of the bar 5 of the yoke into cooperative engagement with the free end of the spring 3, and being thusinstantly effected by the force of the spring, will tend to swing-the yoke and roller into the position shown in Figure 2 of the drawing, thus drawing the door by such engagement of the roller 1 with the clip 8 into the position clearly shown in Figure 4 of the drawing, when the yoke, still biased by the action of the spring 3, will hold the door tightly closed, thereby providing an extremely simple door catch.

In Figure 1, the housing of the catch is illustrated at [2 and is arranged near the hinged edge of the door, it being of identical constructhe arm I3 is looped as at 16 and is slidably mounted upon the elongated wire bracket I! attached to the door I8, preferably near the uppermost extremity thereof, so that when'the door is swung toward closed position, sufficient for the flattened portion l5 of the cross member l4 to be engaged by the free end of the spring within the catch, it will tend to draw the door closed and tightly hold same in such position, it being obvious that this is simply a modified application of the catch to the door.

It should be borne in mind that this device is more particularly adapted for use on a screen or light storm door,where such a device is par-. ticularly desired, though it is obvious that the same may be very effectively used on cabinet, medicine chest, or other light doors.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A door catch comprising a housing adapted to be secured to a door frame, a leaf spring secured Within said housing adjacent one wall thereof, a unitary arm having a flattened end extending within said housing between the spring and said wall whereby said arm is biased toward the limit of its movement in one direction, a bracket adapted to be secured to the door and in the path of said arm, and means on the free end of said arm for engagement with the bracket on the door.

2. A door catch comprising in combination a housing adapted for attachment to a door frame, a link shaped arm pivotally installed at one end within and transverse one end of said housing, a roller pivotally carried upon the opposite end of said arm, a spring fixed within said housing and engaging aflattened portion of said arm therewithin whereby to bias said arm toward the limit of its movement in one direction, and an armately shaped catching member on said door for engagement with said roller when said arm is disposed toward said door opening and the door is in the act of closing and which engagement, if normal, will throw said arm toward its biased position and hold the roller engaged within said catching member and the door closed.

3. A door catch of the character described'ineluding a housing adapted to be installed upon the frame of the door, a leaf spring within said housing and adjacent one wall thereof, a door engaging member having a flattened end extending Within. the housing between said spring and said wall whereby said member is biased in one position, means upon the door for cooperative engagement with the free end of said member whereby the action of the door will throw said lever past the neutral point intermediate of the limits of its movement simultaneously with 1 holding engagement ofv said means with said member and thus hold the door in closed position.

- I1 ALDEN E. HAMIIIERBECK. 

